BOULDER — In any normal circumstance, facing the Missouri Tigers is a tall task.

“They’re a pretty physical team,” Colorado wide receiver Josh Smith said. “Their weight is up to par. Speed. Aggressiveness. A few talkers out there. From what I saw last year, I thought they were one of the more aggressive teams that I had been up against. Oklahoma, they were so-so. But Missouri, they did a lot more of the talking and a lot of stuff to try to get in your head.”

And this isn’t any normal circumstance.

The No. 16 Tigers come into Saturday’s game having lost two games in a row. That hadn’t happened to Missouri since 2006. Colorado has the daily double of not having beaten the Tigers since 2005. But it is Missouri’s consecutive losses that have the Buffs bracing for an opponent with a huge chip on its shoulder.

“After two losses, their coaches are probably pushing them hard right now,” CU cornerback Cha’pelle Brown said. “So I think they are probably going to have fire in their eyes, so we have to be ready for it.”

Despite the loss to No. 7 Oklahoma State and the blowout at No. 1 Texas, the Tigers are favorites to win the Big 12’s North Division, which might set them up with a rematch with one of those teams. The Tigers, who have dropped 13 spots in The Associated Press poll the past two weeks, still boast one of the NCAA’s most potent offenses.

Quarterback Chase Daniel was a serious Heisman Trophy candidate until the last two weeks. Wide receiver Jeremy Maclin is one of the fastest players in the country and ranks seventh in the Big 12 in receiving yards per game (95.1) He leads the conference in all-purpose yards (193.4 average).

Third on the Big 12 all-purpose yards list is Smith (160.3), who compares himself favorably to Maclin.

“Very talented dude,” Smith said. “We’re often compared a lot. He’s got the speed up to par, nice hands. And we do a lot of the same things, special teams, and just going out and making plays for your team and being depended upon and being able to deliver.”

Stopping Maclin is another thing. Texas kept Maclin under control — eight receptions for 66 yards and no touchdowns.

Still, Missouri has gone three-and-out just five times all season. In 72 possessions with Daniel, Missouri has scored 42 times, including 35 touchdowns. MU had a streak this season of 15 consecutive drives that ended in a score.

“They have a lot of weapons on their offense,” CU linebacker Jeff Smart said. “We have to change up what we’re doing, disguise what we’re doing, give the quarterback different looks so that he may not know what we’re in all the time. Just things like that. That’s really our emphasis.

“We have to be good against the run. They throw the ball a lot, but we can’t allow them to get a running game going and making it a two-dimensional game.”

The Lowdown

By Chris Dempsey, The Denver Post

COLORADO (4-3, 1-2)

Player to watch: WR Josh Smith.

Smith started the season on a hot streak, quickly making a name for himself as one of the nation’s top all-purpose players. While his kick return effectiveness has stayed the same, he has just one catch in each of the last three games as a wide receiver.

Key for Buffaloes: Keep long-distance plays in check.

Missouri is one of the nation’s top quick-strike teams. They have with 29 plays of 25 yards or longer this season, with 10 of those going for touchdowns.

MISSOURI (5-2, 1-2)

Player to watch: QB Chase Daniel.

As well as the senior quarterback has played this season, the last two weeks have been humbling experiences. He has thrown four interceptions against just three touchdowns and has been sacked four times.

Key for Tigers: Regain offensive consistency.

Missouri’s high-powered offense has been derailed the last two weeks. If the Tigers can get the offense back on track, CU could be in for a long day.

Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson had butterflies before Sunday's game against the Detroit Red Wings. It wasn't because of the big-name opponent, but rather his return from a 13-game injury absence and being stoked to rejoin a team in a playoff push and looking for its third postseason appearance in 10 years.